Report: Celtics Nearly Landed Jalen Brunson in Trade Before Knicks Deal
Tucked into a recent feature on new Celtics owner Bill Chisholm was a detail that might make Boston fans do a double take - the Celtics were this close to landing Jalen Brunson in a trade back when he was still with the Dallas Mavericks.
The moment came during a behind-the-scenes look at how Celtics president Brad Stevens operates. According to the report, Stevens was giving Chisholm a rare peek into the inner workings of Boston’s front office - projecting his computer screen onto a wall and walking through the anatomy of major deals.
Among the examples? A near-miss on a trade for Brunson.
Let’s pause there.
This wasn’t post-Knicks Brunson - the one lighting up the Eastern Conference and establishing himself as one of the most efficient and poised guards in the league. This was Dallas Brunson, still on the rise, still playing in Luka Dončić’s shadow, but clearly trending upward.
The Celtics saw it. They made a move.
It just didn’t happen.
Now, the report doesn’t get into the nitty-gritty - no names, no packages, no timeline beyond it being before Brunson hit free agency. But it does raise the question: what would Boston have had to give up to get him?
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were untouchable - that much feels obvious. But could Marcus Smart have been on the table?
Derrick White? Maybe a combination of picks and role players?
That part is left to the imagination, but it’s clear the Celtics were serious enough to get deep into talks.
It’s also telling that Stevens chose to share this particular near-deal with Chisholm. It wasn’t just a throwaway anecdote - it was part of a broader effort to show the new owner how the Celtics front office navigates high-stakes decisions. And it speaks to how highly the organization thought of Brunson, even before his breakout in New York.
Since joining the Knicks, Brunson has done nothing but prove them right. He’s become the engine of that offense, a clutch scorer, and a floor general who’s elevated New York’s ceiling dramatically. He’s not just a good signing - he’s been a franchise-changer.
And yeah, it’s hard not to imagine how he might’ve looked in Celtics green. A Brunson-Tatum-Brown trio?
That’s a backcourt-frontcourt blend with serious playoff muscle. But that’s the nature of the NBA - some deals materialize, others slip away, and the ripple effects are felt for years.
In the end, the Celtics are still contenders. They’ve built a roster that’s deep, versatile, and built to win now.
But that near-miss on Brunson? It’s one of those "what ifs" that fans - and maybe even the front office - will quietly think about for a long time.